Before the clock strikes 12
by wish-upon-the-rainbow
Summary: Her parents passed away, leaving her behind. He was the illegitimate child of her adopter. Will love blossom? Before the clock strikes twelve?


"The floor, the ceilings, the sink to be clean when I come back!" A plump middle aged lady yelled at the poor brunette, who was scrubbing away at the floor.

"Yes… mother." She hesitated for a while. She was after all, not her real mother. Everything happened really fast. Too fast, in fact. Her mum's sudden death, her father abandoning her for another woman. All this was happening so fast that her brain could not accept everything at once. She didn't want to follow her aunt, but she had to, for survival, it was the only way.

She recalled that day, that sea of black, the constant sounds of people sniffing, sobbing, the spontaneous gentle footsteps on the tatami mats. Her mother had passed away, cause of death? Natural death. It was no doubt that the police were not doing their work, or simply, it cost too much for a legal autopsy. It could have been her father, he could have poisoned her, or it could have been any of her relatives, after the family's fortune. She had no idea. All she did, was kneel and bow, just like what her grandparents told her. She very much wanted to leave with her grandparents, but she didn't want to burden them, or cause them anymore grief, as her presence, would simply remind her of her mother.

"What's going to happen to the girl?"

"She's so young."

"Good thing she's pretty, we can marry her off quickly."

Marriage? No way. She was going to be a nun. Just like Hotaru. Or so she claimed. But the brunette highly doubt so, there was definitely something going on between Hotaru and that blonde neighbour of hers. Hotaru, never talks to guys. And by never, she really meant never.

To her surprise, that very day, her aunt 'adopted' her. Oh she knew this aunt was terrible, or in other words, bitchy. She thought about it for a night. But this aunt was rich, she could feed her… at least that was what she thought.

"If it's not done! There will be no dinner tonight. You get it? No dinner!" The fat old hag yelled at the fragile figure yet another time before slamming the door hard behind her.

"H-hai."

She carried on scrubbing and scrubbing. Her eyes hurt, from the occasional naughty soap bubble which would enter her eye, from the countless nights of bawling her eyes out, from having too little sleep. Knock. Knock. Someone lightly knocked on the front door, breaking her trail of thoughts. Hotaru-chan! She thought. Scrambling to the front door, like it was the only glimmer of hope left, she opened it with a big smile on her face.

"Hotaru-chan!"

"I find it funny how you still can smile like that. How's the old hag."

"Bitchy, as usual." She pouted.

The raven haired girl peered over the other's shoulders.

"Scrubbing again?"

"Forever scrubbing." She stretched her tired body, she hadn't been sleeping for more than 8 hours per day, like a normal teenager would.

"Trust you to joke at this situation. Here's some bread, I figured you wouldn't have dinner tonight."

"Hotaru-chan, I really wonder how big that genius brain of yours is…"

"Definitely bigger than yours, that's for sure."

"Tsk. Such a meanie. Anyway, how's it going?"

"How's what going."

"With Nogi-san, you know…" She nudged her friend a little, only to be shoved hardly against.

"Nothing's going on. I'm still… going to be a nun."

"Says the person in denial."

"Wanna eat my fist, Mikan? Could fill you up for dinner for at least a week."

"Haha. No thanks." She spoke with a pinch of sarcasm.

"Okay, I better get going." She turned around to take her leave.

"Kay, bye Hotaru-chan."

"Bye."

God bless. She was alone again. It's back to her… talking to herself again. Looking at the soapy mess on the ground, she let out a huge sigh.

"If only those could be eaten."

She looked at the clock, it was already 6:47PM. The sky was already a red-purplish hue and the clouds were coloured a pretty colour. She leaned against the window ledge and looked at the vast open sky. Random birds flew by here and there, singing their daily evening songs. She looked back at the clock. Only 2 minutes has passed by.

She let out yet another huge sigh. Honestly, all she could do, was to live and let go. Move on in life, like her mother would want her to if she were still around.

"Better get this done!" She smiled to herself.

Before the clock strikes twelve.


End file.
